Niel Nielson - First Trust Lead Independent Director

Dr. Niel B. Nielson is Independent Trustee of the company. He was the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Pelita Harapan Education Foundation, a global provider of educational products and services, since January 2015. Mr. Nielson formerly served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dew Learning LLC from June 2012 through September 2014, President of Covenant College, and as a partner and trader for Ritchie Capital Markets Group, where he held an administrative management position at this proprietary derivatives trading company. He also held prior positions in new business development for ServiceMaster Management Services Company, and in personnel and human resources for NationsBank of North Carolina, N.A. and Chicago Research and Trading Group, Ltd. . His international experience includes serving as a director of CRT Europe, Inc. for two years, directing out of London all aspects of business conducted by the U.K. and European subsidiary of CRT. Prior to that, Mr. Nielson was a trader and manager at CRT in Chicago. Mr. Nielson has served as a Trustee of the First Trust Funds since 1999. Mr. Nielson has also served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee, Chairman of the Valuation Committee, Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and Lead Independent Trustee and a member of the Executive Committee . He currently serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee of the First Trust Funds.